Tag Archives: Vikings

The Green Bay Packers have either won the Super Bowl or the NFC North in each of the last 5 seasons. It has been an incredible run. In Game of Thrones parlance the Packers are the Kings in the North. The Packers are prohibitive favorites to win the North again, requiring a $300 bet to win $100. Admitting that the Packers are the clear favorite is easy, but identifying the #1 contender for the title is a little more difficult.

Each of the Packers’ NFC North mates have finished second during this half decade of dominance. The Vikings scrapped their way to a 10-6 record in 2012 behind a monstrous season from Adrian Peterson, the Bears fell victim to “4th and great” in 2013 and Detroit came in second during the Packers’ 15 win season of 2011 and their 12 win season last year.

2015, from what I can tell, is going to be very interesting. Last season’s #1 contender, the Detroit Lions, have lost what defined them as a team. Ndamakong Suh and Nick Fairley are gone. Everything that they did on defense was predicated by those two occupying between 3 and 3.5 blockers on every play and freeing up everyone else on the defense to make plays. The 3rd place finisher in Minnesota certainly appears to have the arrow pointing up. The Bears Still Suck.

The Packers did what they should have done last night. They dominated a team at home that was less talented than they were, more beat up than they were and less prepared than they were. While it is very satisfying to beat the Minnesota Vikings 42-10, the game was not perfect by any stretch. The defense was dominant. Dominant in a way that I haven’t seen them in a long time. When the Vikings were forced to throw the ball the Packers pass rush was absolutely relentless and the talented Packers secondary played very well. Julius Peppers appears to be a revelation and a typical Ted Thompson signing.

All that considered, Tim Masthay punted 6 times. The Vikings were able to slow down Green Bay’s passing attack with effectiveness that I did not anticipate. All of the Packers offensive players that were interviewed intimated that they were not satisfied. At full strength, these two teams are a little bit closer, but not much. Vikings fans will complain about losing Peterson and Bridgewater, but the bottom line is that the last time they won in Lambeau Field without Brett Favre at quarterback was 2005. The Vikings don’t actually win this game, like ever. Read more...(832 words, estimated 3:20 mins reading time)

I didn’t really realize how weird the schedule is this season until after the Bears game. After Thursday, the Packers will get their second 9 day rest in between games. They will also only have 3 division games left. The only road division game left on the slate isn’t really a home game for the other team. TCF Bank Stadium has treated the Vikings OK so far, beating the Falcons in a shootout and getting stomped by the Patriots, but it’s not the Metrodome and there’s a decent chance that the Vikings will already have lost 7 games by that time and know their season is over.

The Packers have opened as double digit favorites in this game and that is always concerning. You could certainly make an argument that after beating the Bears by 21 points on the road there could be a letdown. You could certainly make an argument that facing a Vikings team that has finished last in the division 3 of the last 4 seasons with a rookie QB and are without their best player could create a letdown. You could certainly make an argument that the mini-bye week they could use to rest up and get healthy for the Miami game could create a letdown. Read more...(1013 words, estimated 4:03 mins reading time)

In an effort to continue to give you something different than you find everywhere else on the Packersphere (I’m not sure this is a term, if it is don’t steal it) (Actually, go ahead and steal it, in fact, let’s get this bitch trending #Packersphere) I’m going to take a unique look at the 1st round of the draft as the NFC North is concerned. This column was inspired by a conversation on this week’s From the Benches, which is being released Sunday Morning. I’ll explain why the teams are picking at the spots that they are, then a projection of who I think they’re going to pick (and why) and finally who I really don’t want them to pick (and why). As of right now, the plan is to give in to the needs of the masses and release my first (and last) 7 round Packers mock on Tuesday afternoon in preparation for the draft.

8. Minnesota Vikings

Why they’re picking at 8: In short, Rick Spielman has run this team into the ground, and to save his job he’s run two head coaches out of town. The Vikings have finished in last place in the division in 3 of the last 4 seasons. Spielman’s greatest failure has been his inability to select a passer and those who can defend the pass. Christian Ponder at 12 overall was a disaster and outside of Harrison Smith Spielman hasn’t taken anyone who can cover anyone. Spielman has hired Mike Zimmer as his head coach and is unlikely to survive any more failure. Read more...(941 words, estimated 3:46 mins reading time)

Yesterday’s schedule announcement wasn’t filled with many huge surprises. Who and where the Packers would be playing had already been determined for some time. But yesterday we were able to get a complete picture of their schedule that included times and dates.

I’m not going to guess how many, or which games the Packers will win this season, before the draft, or even the start of the season, that is an exercise in futility. But I am definitely looking forward to some games more than others.

Here are the games I’m looking forward to most this season.

16. Week 2 – New York Jets at Green Bay, Sunday, September 14th 3:25

The week leading up to the game may be more interesting than the actual game. Jets head coach Rex Ryan is always good for some funny and interesting sound bites, and he is a pretty darn good defensive coach.

15. Week 6 – Green Bay at Miami, Sunday, October 12th 12:00

The top story for this matchup will likely be Mike McCarthy and the Packers vs. their old offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

14. Week 15 – Green Bay at Buffalo, Sunday,December 14th 12:00

When the it was determined the Packers would play the Bills I figured that if you had to miss one game this season to attend a Birthday Party/ Christmas Party/ Bar Mitzvah etc…this would be the one. But since this is one of the last games of the season,it could have playoff implications. Read more...(1017 words, estimated 4:04 mins reading time)

Marques and Jason discuss the first tie game for the Packers since 1987 and a tie that actually brought the Packers closer to first place in the North.

The duo also hand out this week’s Game Balls and Lame Calls. Will Aaron Rodgers play against the Lions and what are the Packers’ chances of getting their first win in November? Can Detroit break its decade-long dry spell on Thanksgiving at the expense of a short-handed Packers team?

Technically I think I am wrong. I believe that there are certainly scenarios in which the Packers could lose the game on Sunday and still make the playoffs at 10-6 provided that they win out. I don’t think that is going to happen. I really think that Green Bay needs to handle business on Sunday or the season is over. I understand that Aaron Rodgers could play on thanksgiving and waved at people with his left arm or something dumb like at a concert last night, but this was not a perfect football team even before AR’s injury. Yes, the team was well on it’s way to a 6-2 start and a run through a cake part of the schedule that would have had them fighting for a first round bye, but they certainly weren’t unbeatable.

If the Packers can pick themselves up and beat the Vikings on Sunday, it keeps the possibility of 11-5 alive, and more importantly, it means that 10-6 doesn’t require perfection. I’m not even sure that with Rodgers Green Bay, as beat up as it is, would be favored in all of it’s games coming in especially not necessarily in Detroit. I still believe in this team, but there’s a very thin line between winning and losing in the NFL, and Aaron Rodgers has been blurring that line for the Packers for the last 5+ seasons. Read more...(621 words, estimated 2:29 mins reading time)

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